Ladder side member extension attachment



July 8, 1952 I.. P. NOEL ET AL 2,602,580

LADDER SIDE MEMBER EXTENSION ATTACHMENT Filed July 24, 1948 ATTORNEY Patented July 8, 1952 A Y 1.2-,602580k L 1 LADDEmsIDEMEMEi-t EXTENSION A y ''ziir'rAcniulfliv'if v f. Louis P. Noel and Hammond"".l.'Grifn,f Battle f Creekl and Homer D. De Moss, vvClimax, Mich.;`

said Noel assignor to said Griffin andsaid De y Moss ApplieationfJuly. 24, 194s-, seri-a1 10,415,576

The; present inventionv relates :broadly to ladders, and in. itszspeciflc phases; to adjustable eolaims.' (c1. 2218-1-63) means for extending either side piece-cf a ladder to permit same to stand substantially perpendicula on. unevenr or inclined.-surfaces.

-Where :ladders have had to -be used on uneven or sidewise: slopingy ground, steps. and the like, ithasbeen common practice .to place blocks under thexshortside piece'cf the ladder to support it. This.; isha. verydangerous. procedure asis evidenced bythe large numberfof accidentsA which result". fromffa1ling-nladders. In recognitionv of this :bad situation.. several devices .have been proposed which permit lengthening one sidapiecel y of i they ladder: relativei to,A the other .so that same may: Standiupright onl anuneven'. footing.. 1 The most-'of rthese devices" have` beenaibuilt into" lthe ladder so that-the whole-'ladder' assembly hadto-y be carried at all'timesvinIi order to 'meet-thev unevenv'footingsituation. veryA few 'of-f -thesey devices 'were'A proposed as loose; attachments for ladders, vbut they havejapparently proved-to be-y eitherjunstable or-soicomplex -as'to bef-comi" merciallyunfeasible. 'It wasa recognition-'of the need ,of a detachable ladder' extension 'leg assemblyn and they lack of sameon the open market,

as well; as gaf Vlinowledgegoi .theY difliciiltieg and i shortcomings 1 of" the, prior; practice, which-"lead tothe conceptionand vdf-velopm'jentY cfjthejprese invention isY the provision/of. an. adjustablezladder extension leg assembly for'use on the end ofv either vside .piece of a ladder, wherein such,V assembly. is simple in constrctondurable, easyto adiustfv and highly eicient asa support'for 're-v tainingaladder in. vperpendicular position, 4

Another object is toy provide a ladderrextension legrassembly which, can Ibe,applied; to gasladderlside piece. without.,requiringl alterations of anyE kind j to-:tl'iey ladder structure.- l fAnbtherrobiectfis': to; provide. .a detachable ladderf extension lega assembly whichV yis safer easily anchored in placer. andfzhas; a-:positive: locking mechanismV fory fastening' saine;V in, various fad justedpositions. l

further vobi ectds to provide aladderf extension leg'. assembly which has ap'ocket. with: arclosed Y ends and slotted sid'effor': the'receptionz offv the;y

end-of arg-ladderside; piece,l and? which lis: quickly. mountable andi' dismountableA from-f thevladder without? the use ofl` tools cflan'y: 'kind-,Sy

further* object isteY provide-'raf 'ladder' exl tension leg2 assembly whicl'i'sfpositively adjust--i fr Accordingly 'among the objects vofV the presentf ablesbyipredetermined amounts lengthwise of the Sidelpiece of the ladder. I

Still further vobjectsvand advantages ofthe present invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing .and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlv pointed out iin the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in; detail .certain means forcarrying out the invention, such disclosed-.means illustrating, howeven'. but :o'neof various ways in' which the principle of vthe invention may be used.

In the annexedv drawing:

v4l'lgurei 1 shows'a front view of a'v ladder with' a' preferred-form ofk the ladder extension-legata sembly. of the present invention mountedV thereon. Figure zxshows a'iside view of theassembly illustrated in Figure 1.; .If 1. --Figure 3 showsrasection viewA as' taken at vline 3' -13 ofpFigurez 1 looking inthe direction of the..

Figure? 4 shows ar section view as taken at line l1-4' ofrl'igure Blocking in the direction 0f the arrows.. i

Referring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawing,'fit`will 'be noted. that the ladderlpis mountedxc'miistairs; 2, which diagrammatically illustrate an' 'uneven surface, wherein one side p'ieces-Y of fthe ladder would normally be unsup ported unless the conventional plan of putting. blacksl undersame were followed'. To. overcome thisV a ladder extension leg assembly 4 is shown mounted in'v place on sidey piece 3 of` the ladder where; it= isheld in`A place by.` means of tensldn springtr which has a hook-end 6- engaging'rungn pocketlwhich hasa closed bottom 9 andan openVVV sidetslot'- lil ofi awidth. slightlygreater than the thicknesstof'the ladder rungsVVV 1 so that the4 rung' wilLpassido-wn the'slotwhen the ladderl extension leg-isbein'g mounted on aside piece of the ladderv asziisl shown'in vFigure l. Pockety member '8i is reinforced.and stifiened at its ends andY middle by means ofi three brace 4 straps Il, I2, and i3 to which the.- pocket is' anchored,` for instance, by

welding. The top-andmiddle brace straps I'If and I2" are-left open at slot |03 of pocket 8 so that rungi'may pass therethrough.L

Adaptedt'o slidably flt'within brace straps H, l2, and-I-3,and-behind pocket, is an extension legffmemberjnl which is preferably rectangular* and lwhich has onitsV outer face a reinforcing and circumferential brace strap I2 are perforated in alignment for the'reception of a bolt action locking member 29 as shown moreparticularlyin. Figure 4. The point 2| of locking member 20 -is preferably tapered for a short distance to facilitate entry into perforations I6, and the recesses 22 behind same, in extension leg member I4. The g f 4 of spring 5 may be disengaged from ladder rung 1, and the ladder extension leg assembly 4 returned to the truck for transportation until required once more.V

Other modes of applying the principle of our inventionmay be,vemployedjinsteadgof the one explained, change being made as regards'the apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the outer end of locking member is preferably turned down as shown anda short pin 23 mounted to project in one direction from the side of the locking member just inside of support .member I9 when member 20 is inlockingposition. Thisl support member I9 .is .providedl with a slot 24 extending fromone side ofthe perforation so that when the outer end of locking membery 20 fis turned upward, pin 23 may be slid out through slo't124 to permit disengagement of point 2| fromf the perforations inthe extension leg member I4 andperforated reinforcing metal strip I5. `This allows the extension leg to be adjusted up and down as. required to meet the particular unevenness of the surface onlwhich the ladder is to be mounted. `A pin 25, which may be of straight, taper, or cotter pin type, passes through locking member 29 at the point shown and extends from both sides'ofsame. 1 This pin prevents the locking member 2D. from .being fully withdrawn from' supportimember.. I9 when the locking memberv is.

slidfioutward .to .permit adjustment/of the extension leg member I4. By having pin 23 extendl in. thesamedirection .as the outer'end of locking member 20; gravity will normally hold the outer end of locking member 29 down and hencel The ladder extension'leg. assembly is thexsameas a tool andcan be carried by plumbers, carpenters, roofers',`brick layers, and 4thelike, in their' service truck, Ysince it. is adaptable to be slipped onto anystandard ladder for positiveand safe use therewith. Whena job involves uneven terrain, steps, or the like,v where the ladder must be setup, and wherein one`side piece of the ladder will not reach the surface below. same, this ladder extension assembly may be slipped onto that side piece of the ladder, and the hook 6 of spring 5 hooked'over the ladder rung to anchor the assemblytogetherso that the ladder canl be carried around without the ladder extension legassembly 'falling off. The ladder carrying the extension leg assembly may then be set in place where it is to beY used, following which locking member 20 mayhave its outer end turned up so that pin 23l will coincide with slot 24 whereupon locking member 2Il may be moved outward andthe ladder extension leg I4 moved endwiseruntil it comes into suitable contactwiththe ground. Locking member 2Ilis then moved backthrough suDDOrt member I9 with end 2I engaging one ofthe recesses 22, followingwhich the outer end `of locking member 20 may be turned'down to positively anchor. the assemblyv in adjusted position ready for "use-.Lint the end ofv the; use period, 'hook 5.

equivalent of such stated means be employed.

' We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

, .1. A.slipon, detachable, extension leg assembly-fora ladderfhaving side members and rungs,

which comprises a substantially tubular pocket of suitable size to receive and hold the end of a side member vof said ladder, said pocket having a slot in one side for the passage of a ladder rung Vtherethrough and a bottom means for supporting the end of said ladder side member, an endwise adjustable leg member, .top and bottom reinforcingfmeans .for said pocket, means-Y for fastening, said reinforcing. meansto .said'pocket` each, of said top and bottomv reinforcing. means having a.

portion extendingsidewisefrom saidpocket for holding andguiding said leg member'fo'r lengthwise movement. alongthe side of vsaidpocket, a

locking'assembly joined. -to saidpocket in fixed v location; said locking assembly including a locking member adapted to ,be Amoved-toward said pocket to engage and holdsaid .adjustable legl member, and means for releasably ,holding said.

wise movement a'lngthe side ofv saidv pocket, saidy :leg member having engag'eable means'- on itsv outer face, a locking assembly joined to said to be moved toward saidpocket,tojengagesaid engageable means'l onthe outer face Yof said adjustable leg and hold same; against endwise movement, and meansfor releasably holding said lock-KV ing member in-positivelocking engagementwith said adjustable leg members'4v f 3 A slip-on; detachable, f extension vvleg'- assem.- bly for a' ladderhaving side'V members and rungs," which comprises a pocket ofsuitable'size tore-v ceive the end'of a side member of said. ladder,

said pocket havingy a bottom means for supporting lthe end/of ,saidV side/member; an endwise..

adjustable leg member, top and bottomreinforcing means for said pocket, meansforfastening said reinforcing vmeans .to .said pocket, :each ;of

said top and bottomreinforcing means having an.' extending andvencirclingportion forholding and guiding said leg member. fpr-.,;1engthwise move-` ment along. the side of seid rocken, a 1Qngltud-:-

nal brace strap'` joining, thev outer., face of said top 1. and' bottom reinforcingmeans ,Said lee member havine-f;.erneaseable means .Cm.its.outer` extensionleg assemface, a U-shapedlsuppbrtlmember with the legs oisaid; ushered memberqaitahedtpfthe guter face of said longitudinal'brace strap, said brace strap and ,ld-sshaped, member lbeing rcross drilled in alignment', 'a' bolt 'action' io'oking member adapted '-t'o be moved throughws'aid aligned :openli-Y ving the end of said side member, an endwise adjustable leg member, top, intermediate, and bottom reinforcing means for said pocket, means for fastening said reinforcing means to said pocket, eachv of said top, intermediate, and bottom reinforcing means having an extending and encircling portion for holding and guiding said leg member for lengthwise movement along the side of said pocket, a longitudinal brace strap joining the outer face of said top, intermediate,

, and bottom reinforcing means, said leg member having engageable means on its outer face, a U-shaped support member with the legs of said U-shaped member attached to the outer face of said longitudinal brace strap, said intermediate reinforcing means, brace strap, and U-shaped member being cross drilled in alignment, a bolt action locking member adapted to be moved through said aligned openings toward said pockety to engage said engageable means on the outer face of said adjustable leg and hold same against endwise movement, means in the form of a pin projecting sidewise from said locking member and cooperating with a sidewise extending slot portion of said opening through said U-shaped member for releasably holding said locking member in locking engagement with said adjustable leg member and yet permitting same to be disengaged, and an adjustable hook-ended releasable anchor means for holding said pocket on said ladder with one of its side members therein.

5. A slip-on, detachable, extension leg assembly for a ladder having side members and rungs, which comprises a pocket of suitable size to receive the end of a side member of said ladder, said pocket having an open side slot into which a rung of said ladder may pass, said pocket also having a closed bottom for supporting the end of said side member, a substantially rectangular section endwise adjustable leg member, top and bottom reinforcing means for said pocket, each of said top and bottom reinforcing means having an extending and encircling portion for holding .off-Z a 'substantially round y.rod adaptedy Vto'iilt'theI aligned openings yin said brace-strapand; Usi

shapedl member and having apoint adapted to fit theA recesses in said legzmember,k the=outer endofsa'id Aloch-ing,member beingrlturned: downward to form a handle just outside of vsaid'UL-"shaped:- member when the point of said locking member is in engagement witha/recess of said leg member,.=1`a 'shortrpiniextending- .from one side of said locking. rnemberijustziinside of said U-shaped member when said locking member is in engagement with said leg member, said U-shaped member having a slot extending from one side of the perforation therethrough, said slot being of a size to allow said pin to pass therethrough when said locking member is rotated to unlocking position, and gripping means for holding said pocket on said ladder with one of the side members of the latter therein.

6. A slip-on, detachable, extension leg assembly for a ladder having side members and rungs, which comprises a pocket of suitable size to receive the end of a side member of said ladder, said pocket having an open side slot into which a rung of said ladder may pass, said pocket also having a closed bottom for supportingr the end of said side member, a substantially rectangular section endwise adjustable leg member, top and kbottom reinforcing means for said pocket, each of said'top and bottom reinforcing means having an extending and encircling portion for holding and guiding said leg mem-ber lengthwise of the side of said pocket, said top reinforcing means open ended so as to allow a rung of said ladder y to pass therethrough and down the slot of said and guiding said leg member lengthwise of the support member with the legs of said U-shapedv member attached to the outer face of said longitudinal brace strap, said brace strap and U- .the legs of said U-shaped member attached to the outer face of said longitudinal brace strap intermediate its ends, said brace strap and U- shaped member being cross drilled in alignment with the recesses in said leg member, a locking member, said lockingy member being in the form of a substantially round rod adapted to iit the aligned openings in said brace strap and U- shaped member and having a point adapted to iit the recesses in said leg member, the outer end of said locking member being turned downward to form a handle just outside of said U-shaped member when the point of said locking member is in engagement with a recess of said leg member, a short pin extending from one side of said locking member substantially parallel to the turned down portion thereof and just inside of said U-shaped member when said locking member is in engagement with said leg member, said U-shaped member having a slot extending from one side of the perforation therethrough, said slot being of a size to allow said pin to pass therethrough when the turned, down portion of said locking member is rotated up to unlocking position, a short pin passing through said locking member and projecting from both sides thereof,

said pin being adjacent the outer face of said 7 .i longitudinal brace strap when said locking mem- Y Y REFERENCES CITED Y Y ber is locked in engagement with a recess of said f The fonowmg references are f rec'ord m' -the 1eg, saidpin also acting as a stop for'said lockf -h ing member whenvthe latteriis moved to un1ock. me 'o t is patent" ing position, and a. tension. spring fastened at one 5V v i UNITED .STATES PATENTS' v end to said pocket including assembly, the other Number y Name r' Date c end of said spring having a hook adapted for l ,432,263 Din-,s July 15,1890 hooking over a rung of said ladder to holdthe 535,346 Berkman' Mar. 12, v1895 assembly firmly in place. 1,431,068 Waney Oct. 13, 1922 c. 10 1,705,000 Brandt Mar. l12, 1929 LOUIS P. NOEL. 1,862,171. Y Baker June '7.1932n HAMMOND J. GRIFFIN. 2,481,581 Ehnhuusf Sept. 13,11949 HOME?. D.,DE MOSS. 2,517,771 De Stefano M Aug.'8, 1950 

